The document discusses how Germans struggled during the Great Depression. It describes the economic problems Germans faced, including high unemployment levels, collapsed businesses, increased poverty and homelessness. The German government had difficulties dealing with the crisis. As a result of these economic hardships, support for extremist parties grew as Germans turned away from the mainstream parties. The Nazis in particular saw major gains by promising to improve people's lives. Historians believe the Depression was a key factor that allowed the Nazis to rise to power.

1. Hitler and Nazi Germany
The
Great
Depression

2. In today’s class, I am learning to:
• Describe problems faced by Germans
during the Depression
• Explain these events helped the Nazis
gain power
The Great Depression

3. The Great Depression
After the devastation of
hyperinflation, the German
economy eventually
improved.
The years from 1924 to
1929 are sometimes called
Weimar’s ‘Golden Years’.
Support for extremist
parties fell during this
period, especially the Nazis.

4. The Great Depression
One reason the German
economy improved was that
they received loans and
other help from the USA.
However in October 1929
the American economy
collapsed during the Wall
Street Crash, resulting in
global economic problems,
including Germany.

5. The Great Depression
Many Germans felt the
Depression was even worse
than hyperinflation.
Huge numbers of
businesses collapsed,
hurting rich Germans and
increasing unemployment.
As well as job levels falling,
homelessness and poverty
levels hugely increased.

6. The Great Depression
By 1932 there were six
million Germans
unemployed.
There was particularly high
levels of unemployment
amongst farm and factory
workers.
Young people also struggled
– 60% of university
graduates had no job.

7. The Great Depression
The German government
struggled to deal with the
economic crisis.
They could no longer get
loans from the USA (and
had to repay some of the
loans they’d been given).
The Weimar government
cut the benefits given to
unemployed people.

8. The Great Depression
Other government actions
at this time included
reducing public spending
and cutting pensions for
older people and war
widows.
Some governments
collapsed because they
could not agree on actions
to fix the problem.

9. The Great Depression
Due to the Depression,
Germans again turned
towards extremist parties.
Support for the Communist
Party increased, but the
Nazis saw the biggest gains.
They were especially backed
by the upper and middle
classes that feared the
growth of Communism.

10. The Great Depression
The Nazis promised to
improve people’s lives. They
even opened soup kitchens
to feed hungry people.
As a result of this the Nazis
went from being the
Reichstag’s smallest party in
1928 to the largest by 1932.
Hitler became German
Chancellor in January 1933.

11. The Great Depression
Many historians believe the
Depression was the key
factor which led to the
Nazis taking power.
AJP Taylor said that “the
Depression put the wind in
Hitler’s sails”. William Carr
said it was “inconceivable”
that the Nazis would have
gained power without it.